Have you looked at the new redesigned FA's? They remind me alot of a smith! New bungee cord system and the paint is much better. Much better than the tanglefree and ghg I've had in the past. I think I got my doz to try out for around 320. Super light too, comparable to a ghg but seem more durable after a few hunts on them.

I ran some FA lessers two seasons ago that were the newer design like the honkers. Mince looking decoys except they didn't hold their paint very well. The older FA's hold their paint really well. I have about 6-7 seasons on them and they are holding up fine.

Last edited by fishfurlife on Fri Feb 14, 2014 3:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

On the O.P.- I shoot BC 3" BB or WIn EX range bismut #2 and lead them for head shot. My hunting partner shoots BC 3-1/2" BBB with improved cyl. We both down birds over 40yds, but mine usually come down dead or about to die, and he tends to get more cripples, or "pillow" shots where they keep going. All giant Canadas. I honestly don't think it is any harder to kill a giant Canada than a Snow Goose or big mallard with #2 or BB if you can properly judge the range and lead them right up to about 60yds. I think the trouble with big geese is they look closer than they are because of their size. The other thing to consider is that late season birds can have a lot of fat on them,and more down, and that will slow down your pellets. Another reason to shoot for the head and neck.

Was thinking of adding a doz of the lessers for space and portability. Just worried on there smaller size there visibility may make it not worth it. Any thoughts? Have a doz honker FB's and 5 doz silos now.

Someone undermined me this morning, pulled up to the field and there was a truck and decoy trailer in the gate.Asked him where he got access, said he gave the farmer $300 to hunt it. So after scouting it, and getting access to it for free, I got screwed over.

The first time it happened, the other hunters started acting real fidgety about 20 minutes after light. We ended up hunting opposite ends of the same side of the field. That's actually what spurred me to call the owner. They were nearly cleaned up when the owner got there. I am not sure what was said between them but I know that I never saw the other hunter around again.

The second time it happened, the other hunter ran his mouth constantly. I told him I was calling the owner at daylight to verify he had permission. This guy was stupid enough to walk down to me and run his mouth right after legal light. I called the landowner in front of him and it was obvious pretty quick that he was story telling because he started back pedaling big. I was there when the landowner gave him a piece of his mind.

Granted, both hunts were ruined from the word go. Both hunts, I had pulled into the field first or at the same time. I can get pretty hard headed at times. If it hadn't been for the way the first guys acted, I wouldn't have ever called the landowner. In fact, I fully expected them to call the landowner to check up on me since they "had paid good money to hunt there"

Earlier this year I found a field that had a bunch if mallards using it. I found the land owner and could hunt it as long as his sons friend wasn't hunting. I'm walking into this field, about a mile, and there is a truck that pulls up on the easement that the landowner said I couldn't use that is on the edge of the field I want to hunt. I started talking to them and they said they had permission to hunt this field as well. They got really nervous when I brought up calling the landowner to find out if they had permission or not. They ended up leaving and I set up in a low spot where I couldn't see that well. I called the landowner after I got set up and he said they didn't have permission and had never met these guys. About an hour into the hunt I heard shooting and went to investigate. Found the guys that I had talked to earlier hunting the the creek that ran through the field I was in. Called the landowner again and he came out to talk to them. Somehow after tresspassing they were able to talk him into letting them hunt if I wasn't hunting. I could hardly believe it.